King of Manhattan
by SaturnineSunshine
Summary: Future fic.The devil always comes to collect "I know what spot on her neck to make her shudder. I know the dirty and sinfully awful things to say to her to make her melt. And I know nothing will mean more to her than being with me in the back of my limo"


**A/N**: I wrote this really quickly, but I'm really proud of it. I personally think its really well done. Once again, watching Buffy and got inspired. This is set in the impending fourth season, so anything could happen. A tentative B/D and of course underlying C/B.

**Summary**: "I know what spot on her neck to make her shudder. I know the dirty and sinfully awful things to say to her to make her melt. And I know nothing will mean more to her than being with me in the back of my limo."

**Disclaimer**: Nothing is mine except my penchant for cheesy endings.

* * *

Dan Humphrey was slumped in the waiting area of the hospital when he heard him coming. It was something he should have expected but a part of him wished that Chuck Bass was done with Blair Waldorf.

No such luck.

He heard those disgustingly overpriced loafers a mile away. His shadow darkened the hallway outside of Blair's room. Dan immediately jumped to his feet, barricading himself in front of her door. Chuck Bass just smirked, amused by Dan's pathetic attempts.

"Humphrey," Chuck drawled, though darkness colored his tone. Dan looked at the four peonies tied delicately by a purple ribbon in his hand. He sneered at Dan, attempting to pass by him.

"You really don't think you're getting in there, do you?" Dan asked.

"Your attempts at valor are... admirable, I suppose," Chuck said in his bored tone. "But if I decide that it is my calling in life to walk right into Blair's room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me?"

"My fist in your jaw the last time we met seems to think so," Dan replied.

"And I suppose down in Brooklyn displays of violence are considered civilized," Chuck rolled his eyes. "But I am positive Blair would much rather me be in this waiting room than you."

"Then what took you so long to get here?" Dan challenged.

"Your presence was a certain factor in my decision," Chuck said. "I didn't really think you would bother to be here this late at night."

"She's my girlfriend," Dan said tersely.

"Girlfriend," Chuck repeated icily. "Of course. And I'm sure Blair's motive for that is pure."

"What are you saying?" Dan asked, knowing he couldn't even stop at self sabotage.

"Do you really think Blair would even deign to look at your pathetic waste of space if she wasn't just trying to hurt me?" Chuck asked. "It's always been about me."

"As charming as your self absorption is," Dan replied, "we both know it isn't like you didn't deserve it."

"That doesn't really change the facts," Chuck said. "And the facts are that she chose you, the one person that I despise even more than Carter Baizen, to parade in front of me."

"You hurt her first," Dan said. "Parading that French call-girl in front of her."

"It seems that she's trained you well," Chuck said. "Because she was the only one who called Eva that."

"Eva," Dan said with disgust. "Right. You're still in touch, I suppose. Whenever Blair's not looking."

That's when Chuck got angry.

"Don't even condescend into trying to understand what it's like," Chuck said. "You don't know me and you certainly don't know Blair."

"Our status as a couple seems to denounce that," Dan said.

"She may have let you into her bed," Chuck said. "But I know Blair... biblically much more than you do. I know what spot on her neck to make her shudder. I know the dirty and sinfully awful things to say to her to make her melt. And I know nothing will mean more to her than being with me in the back of my limo. Most of all, I know it's me she's thinking of when she fakes orgasming for you."

Chuck was right, though. He had assaulted him too much and security would definitely "escort" him out if he landed one in Chuck's face again.

"She always screamed more for me, anyway."

"That doesn't change the fact that you came back with a girlfriend and that hurt her."

"Not that it was my intention," Chuck said, "but it isn't anything she hasn't done before. I just went to the French section instead of the British. Yes, I hurt her. Another plan of mine that backfired as they always seem to when it comes to her. But you said it yourself. She went to someone she could manipulate after me because it was easier. She always goes easier after me. And that it just so happened to be you cemented in my mind the fact that not only are you fleeting, but I am still effervescent in hers. As usual."

It was one of the things he hated about Chuck Bass. When it was with Serena or even Vanessa, it was easy. Serena had Nate and Vanessa had Paul or whatever. Dan knew he bested them when it came to intelligence. But Chuck Bass was a sociopathic genius and that was something he had to admit. When it came to Blair, of course Chuck would know best. Because they were the same. Chuck was smart in ways Dan couldn't think of. But Dan was true and genuine. And he just hoped that was enough for right now.

"Blair and I are together now," Dan said tensely, trying not to be intimidated by Chuck. He didn't used to be. It was hard to be frightened when he was wearing plaid. But this Chuck Bass was frightening. A Chuck Bass who didn't have what he wanted was frightening. A Chuck Bass without his Blair Waldorf could get scary when he wanted to.

"Is that so?" Chuck asked threateningly. "How strange. Then maybe you can tell me why she slithered into my place this week after midnight? And let me tell you, that dress was not just for show."

"You're lying," Dan said instantly, always paranoid of Chuck's manipulative tendencies.

"Why would I lie when the truth is just so much more delicious?" Chuck smirked and Dan knew he wasn't lying.

"She wouldn't do that," Dan said steadily.

"What makes you so sure?" Chuck asked. "Come to think of it, I can't think of any concrete reason you would even go for a girl like her. Your track record proves you're only into the bubbly and barbaric."

Dan's eyes narrowed.

"I was insulting Vanessa," Chuck illuminated.

"I got it, thanks," Dan said.

"The only thing she's doing with you is using you," Chuck said. "And even you can't be that dense not to see it."

"Maybe I did think that at one time," Dan said. "But then again, maybe that's just her only when she's with you. Did you ever think that when you're not together she can actually be good?"

"Oh she is good," Chuck said, covering up his seething anger. "Good and satisfying. But not with you."

"Is that what you think?" Dan asked. He watched Chuck's facade waver and for a moment, found how satisfying it was to manipulate someone.

"It is," Chuck said. "Because what I think is that you fell for her even though you didn't want to. She came to you for comfort. Vanessa didn't forgive you and you both needed someone. I can relate."

Dan tensed at the allusion to his sister.

"She showed you her vulnerable side. A side to her that you had never seen before. And she charmed you without meaning to. Again, I can relate. Before her, I was nothing. And then suddenly she was everything to me. She gave me one forgiving smile and let me take her virginity."

Dan looked away with disgust.

"And I fell for her," he continued. "What makes you think you're any different? That's what she does to you. She makes you fall in love with her. It happened to Nate—eventually. It happened to me instantly. And now it's happening to you."

Dan couldn't look at him in the face. He hated to admit Chuck had it down. He knew Blair so well and he was right. Dan and Blair needed each other and that's what happened. To be honest, he wasn't really sure how Chuck and Blair started. He was sure it was about sex or their mutual love of social destruction. He didn't think that Chuck had a soul. He didn't think that Chuck fell in love with her like that.

"Am I even a little close?" Chuck taunted. Dan finally looked up. "That's what I thought."

He proceeded to walk forward before Dan stopped him. He laughed cruelly.

"Blair's white knight," he sneered. That vindictive look of satisfaction was back on his face. "It must just eat you up inside that a man like me got there first. Breached that holy ground first so whenever she's with someone else, she'll always think of the first seed that was spilled inside of her."

Dan recoiled in disgust. Chuck always knew what vile and heinous thing to say to nauseate him.

"Do you even know what Blair's in there for?" Chuck continued. Dan hesitated, knowing any story could be the wrong one.

"She fainted," Dan said. "She hurt herself when she fell."

"Right," Chuck said, condescendingly. "Do you know why she fainted?"

Dan fidgeted uncomfortably. He hadn't really thought about it. In the back of his mind, he maybe thought it was her taking too much Aderol or something but it was becoming clear that he didn't want to think about it.

"Malnourishment," Chuck finally said smugly.

"What?" Dan asked in surprise. That was something he wasn't exactly expecting. Chuck smirked victoriously

"Malnourishment," Chuck repeated. "A preexisting condition since she was 13. You can even ask Dr. Sherman if you think I'm desperate enough to make it up. She's a specialist."

"What happened?" Dan asked, now completely sure Chuck would always know more about Blair than he would.

"I would have thought that your _girlfriend_ would trust you enough to tell you," Chuck said tauntingly. "It's her story to tell, not mine."

Dan hated how truly Chuck did care for her. He attempted to pass him to no avail again. Chuck just rolled his eyes.

"Tell her to make sure she keeps a watch on her electrolytes," Chuck said, pressing the pathetic bouquet into his hands. "From me."

Chuck turned to walk away.

"You can't expect me to do that."

"It doesn't matter. She'll know I was here anyway," Chuck turned to leave with a final remark. "Be seeing you," and added tauntingly, "and her."

Dan stared after Chuck as he left. It was obvious he would leave so he wouldn't cause another altercation. Dan knew that Blair would never forgive him. Even she said how uncivilized it was.

They really were from two different worlds. But this wasn't like Serena. Blair was jagged where Serena was smooth. Serena was glamorous and Blair was real. Dan liked that. And he and Blair were just in the right spot together.

But Chuck Bass was the first person to ever see the beauty in that.

He wasn't stupid enough to think this would be some sort of lasting relationship. But it was the appearance of Chuck that made him realize maybe a part of him wanted it to be. That he had really fallen for her.

Chuck's knowing words were gnawing at the back of his brain but he didn't have to check up on Dr. Sherman to know that she was an eating disorder specialist. That her largest client list had to do with those with bulimia nervosa. Chuck knew all of that. Dan knew even if he found out, it wouldn't matter. The one thing that Chuck would always beat him at was Blair Waldorf.

Dan walked back into Blair's room in surprise to see that she was sitting up, still awake despite the late hour. He looked at the medical tape on her right temple, knowing that there were some things about her that would always be a mystery.

She smiled at him slightly and looked down to his hand. "Are those for me?"

Sometimes Dan would notice her penchant for presents and he felt oddly charmed. He used to find those sorts of things repulsive. He knew the most dangerous thing had happened. He had indeed fallen for Chuck Bass's ex-girlfriend. His one and only love and he was sure that young billionaire would come to collect.

"Yeah," Dan said, clearing his throat.

"So he was here," Blair said as Dan handed them to her. He paused. She knew. Like Chuck said she would. She was staring down at the four peonies, as though analyzing them for deeper meaning. She touched each one of them delicately like they might disintegrate right in her hands.

"Four," she whispered, maybe forgetting for a moment that Dan wasn't even there. "One for each year."

Dan narrowed his eyes and felt his heart sink. He knew someone like Chuck couldn't be cheap but the small bouquet meant something to Blair. And she was right. He remembered first hearing about them in 2007.

He had no idea Chuck had a penchant for romantic symbolism. Maybe he and Dan were more alike than he thought.

Blair placed the peonies on the bedside table and reclined slightly.

"He didn't come in."

She wasn't looking at him venomously, just stating a fact. Dan felt himself tighten with the instinct to protect her from Chuck's acidic presence. Dan just took a seat next to her bed and sat back.

He knew it was only a matter of time and he didn't have a say in the matter. Someday soon Chuck would come back to claim what was rightfully his. And soon, Blair would return to her rightful throne and rule with the King of Manhattan. Because Dan might have been her white knight. But Chuck would always be her king.


End file.
